Oil emulsion treater



Sept. l2, 1950 J. A. LYNE on. EMULsIoN TREATx-:R

Filed Jan. 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 s ept. 12, 195o J. A. LYNE 2,521,859

OIL EMULSION THEATER Filed Jan. 11,v 1945 2 Shee'lzs-Sl'reel'I 2 Patented Sept. 12,` 1950 UNITED-f STATI-:s PATENT vOFFICE j ff f 2,521,859 y f 'OIL EMULSION 'TREATER` Joe A. Lyne, Houston, Tex., assignor to The Parkersburg `Itig y`8a Reel Company, Parkersburg, W. lVa., a corporation of West Virginia Application January 11, 1945, Serial-No. 572,331

10` yClaims'. (015183-231) sions and remove gas from oil well fluids by passe.

ing such fluids through an emulsion treater. wherein oil and Water separation .takesplace ase sisted by the action .of heat, and wherein gas is separated from the fluids and recovered.

A particularly emcient type of such an alp-k paratus is disclosed in thecopending application of George E. Dake andJoeA. Lyne, Serial No. 531,106, filed April 14, 1944, now PatentNo. 2,449,738. Such an apparatus is vbeing quite widely and satisfactorily used, but difficulty has. been encountered with apparatus of this'charfacter in the .oil fields where .the oil containska substantial proportion of. gas. Where such oil is encountered, the rapid escape. of gas asY the oil well uids enter the apparatus is such as to create. a substantial boiling or foaming action similar toreiervescence, thus resulting in the' carrying over into the gas recovery pipe of other uid constituents including oil and water. 4 The' solution' ofthe problems involved in treating emulsions' of this character has proved particularlyserious and difcult.

An important object of the invention is to pro-` vide a novel method of treating oil well uids tofacilitate the subsequent separationr ofvthes constituentsA of the uid.

More specically, a further Objectis to provide:V

a method of treating oil well fluids prior to pass'- ing such iiuids through a separator, to.substanl tia-lly preheatthe fluids and 'provide them with' an excess of water to more readily free gases from the fluids and to provide the latter with a subi* stantially increased degree of. separability.

A further object is toA provide a novel emul` sion treating apparatus wherein well fluids having a high gas content can lbe very 'eiiiciently handled, the gas being effectively separated and' ingthe foaming ofthe gasecontaining vfluids, thus eliminati-ngthedifficulties which havefbeen `e"n countered in thetreating of emulsions ofsuchcharacter; f

A further object is -toA provide suchfvan appadratus v'wherein a greater volume of"emulsionsmayA .45 is effected prior to the feeding ,ofthe oilwellV liuds intothe main apparatus, thus facilitating theV initial taking off in the latter apparatusof-` the greater proportion of the gasesv and prevent"-V be .treated withina given Vperiod of time without necessitating 1an .increase in the size of the treater.- Y .1

`A ifurther object. is to provide an apparatus which greatly facilitates the treating of large volumes of tight emulsions Without the addition of chemicals, -or with a reduction in the amount of, chemicals required.

A further object is tc provide a novel apparatus of the. character referred to wherein the Well fluids. are not: only preheated but are subjected toithe actionof heated Water, and particularly brine, before passing into the main treaterap.

paratus,l thus resulting in the releasing of the majority of the gas in `the initial heating step.

Afurther. object is to provide an apparatus of this .character lhaving novel means for` feeding heated .Watenand particularly brine, from .the

main. separating apparatus into the Well duid, line t'ox'perform an initial emulsion treating step. Whereinseparation of the oil and water not only. is facilitated, but wherein most of the gas is initially freed from the well fluids to flow through the gas outlet ductwithout carrying over ap preciableamounts of liquid 1 @ther-.objects and advantages of the invention will become A.apparent during Athe course of the followingdescription.

In the drawings l have shown several forms otapparatus, particularly adapted for practicing the invention.v In this showing:

Klig-ligrely is-,a side elevation of the apparatus, Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view through the same looking in the same direction asiFigure 1, lparts being. shown in. elevation, f

Figure'r vis an enlarged sectional View of thev View showing a somewhat modified form ofv the apparatus,

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view on line l l-l of Figure 6', and,

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view through a furthermodiied form of apparatus, parts beingishown in elevation.

It iswell known Vthat oil emulsions containing, a small percentageof water are difficult to break and separate, while thcsejcontaining a substan-V tialfproportion of Water'are more easily separable. I haveefound that if, prior to the introduction of the well fluids into a treating apparatus for separating the fluids a substantial amount of hot inert liquid, such as water, and particularly brine, is progressively added to the oil well uids, highly improved results are obtained. In the first place, particularly where well fluids contain so much gas as to cause substantial foaming in the treating apparatus, the addition ofurhot, waterA frees the gas much Amore readily, thu's preventinggx foaming in the separating apparatus'and' the carrying ofi` of liquids in the form of foam with,`v the gas. In the second place, the known advan'"`"` tage of preheating the well fluids to facilitate the breaking of the emulsions is greatly enhanced by effecting the preheating action by theA addition' 4 upwardly with the gas will gather on the surfaces of the plate or baffle 36 to be returned by gravity tof'the lower part of the apparatus. Above I.the baie- 3f5, inner and outer concentric cylindriof hot water since, by this stepfan excess lof water is provided in the well fluids, thus rendering the emulsions much more readily breakable. f

Referring to the drawings, wherein severineI forms of apparatus particularly adapted'for the practice of the invention have been illustrated, the numeral l designates a vertical cylindrical shell provided with preferably welded upperand` lower heads H and I2, the latter of whichis ser-i cured to a suitable lrelatively heavy support i3. A cylinder i4 is arranged within the shell ill concentric therewith as shown in Figures 2 and 5. The cylinder lil is of sirmllerdiameter'than'theI shell l0 to provide an annuar space l5 for a purpose to be described. This space communicates with the open lower end of the cylinder I4," the: lower extremity i6 of the latter terminating 'a' substantial distance above the bottom of' the' shellll).

Heating units 2B extend diametrically into the apparatus near the lower end thereonthese units'- being mounted in tubes 2l welded to the shell' I and cylinder i4 to form leak-proof joints. These' heating units may be gas-filled, in which case they will be provided with suitable supply pipes-` 22. Supporting means 23 are provided -for the heating units withinv the cylinderlrl, including transverse structural elements -24 on which the respective heating units are directly supported.y Where gas-fired heating unitsare employed, the

wardly in the space l and passing upwardly into the lower end of the cylinderM will be` heated by the units 2li and then continue upwardly through and around a Vseries of spaced.. baffles 26. It also will become apparent that the,L

incoming well fluids are mixtures of oil, gas and water, and emulsions of oil and water, and fluids passing upwardly into the cylinder I4 will :have

.been largely separated as they pass beyond the.

units 20, and accordingly the latter are immersed in and transfer heat to liquid which isv madeup ,v very largely of water, and usually salt water. y l,

The upper end 21 of the cylinder I4 is open as shown in Figure 2, and substantially below such end, the cylinder is provided with aihorizontal metal partition 28 to whichisconnected an upstanding pipe 29 for the escape of gas up: wardly from the holes beneath the partition 2B. Just above the partition 28 is arranged an inlet duct 30 for the fell fluids, this pipe being welded j to the shell l and cylinder i4 to provide leaks proof joints and having the portion thereof within The supporting device 23' -fcalnihibers '312 and 38 are secured at their upper eddghesto the head i l for the passage thereover of gas which passes the baffle 36 for the collection of any liquids Ywhich may remain in the gas. Such gas` passes upwardly through an outlet 39 to be collected in the usual manner.

The normal waterlevel in the cylinder `I4 is indicated by the" numeral 40, while the normal level of the oil separatedfrom the fluids and floating onthe body of'water is indicated by the numeral 4I.' This, oil, .as it accumulates, is adapted to'ilow outwardly through a discharge pipe lli. l To ;n1aintain a proper balance of fluids in the :cylinder I`4, means is provided for preventing the waterfromrising above the level 40. Such means forms per .se no part of the present invention and may be identical with the means shown A 531,106,` referred to-above. Generally, such means comprises a pipe llil connected between the bottorn of .the shell I0 and the gas outlet `39 to equalizev pressuresV in such pipe, and the latter istapped at as 45 for the outward flow 0f water through pipe 'M5'. Inasmuchj as the specific gravity ofthe oil above the level 40 is substantially less than that of water, the connection 46 willlie` above the water level di! and will prevent theaccumulation of water in the cylinder I4 above-,such level. In other words, the level of thelt'ake-,ofi connection 46, which is really an overflow;- is determinedin accordance with the weight of a normal column of liquid in the apparatus with lthe` water level at the point 40 and the oillevel at lthe Apoint 4l. The oilbetween the levels'. vllfl'ga'ndl 4l 'being lighter than water, and all of the fluids in thepipe ll4 being water, the level of` the connection 4S will lie at such point below theA level il that the columns of liquid in the innerfcylinder I4 up to the level V4l and the water in the pipe vupto the connection 46 will balaiice.` lThe liquidlevel ,M will nc-tfrise due to the presence ofthe overflowpipe 42, but if the water level 4'0 tendsgtorise, the vweight of the column in the 'cylinder llt becomes greater than the weight ofthe v,columnv in the pipe 45, thus forcing water. upwardly through this pipe and through :thefconnction d8, to be carried away through the overflow pipe 46'. Ii" desired, the apparatus may be provided with a conventional water level indicator 41,.

l i Astrictlyspeakingthe enduit an is not a mere inletv forl well fluids, but for a mixture of such fluids lancvl'uexcess 4heated water in accordance withthe.presentinvention.l Such conduit is connected to downwardly extending pipe 50 (Figures .1; 2 andB) the lower end of which is secured to thelupper end ofa mixingand preheating defvice` .indicatedmasa wholeby the numeral 56. Such device comprises an elongated bell-like body 52 into whicha well fluid inlet pipe 53 extends axially, the upperend 5A of such pipe terminating inY 'copending application Serial No.v

a `substantial distance above.A the -bottom. of; kthe;- chamber 52;. .Theehamberand.. pipe 53-.are1 generally. inthe nature:` ofvv an injector, but; the` device-functions onlyto a limited extent as such, asawil-l become; apparent. Thefipipe 53, is con nectedA to .thesource of well: fluidsby a. pipe 55 inwhich. is, arrangeda :checkvalve. 56. The; chamber 52 is supplied; withfwaterafrom. the 'in-.1 terior orVv the cylinder |55. through. a piplewl cxx-1.l tending .through and. welded to: the;Y shell l0 and.. cylinder I4. This; pipe isfprovided with a .check value 58' to prevent the back surging. otliquids. into i.he.-,c5 1linderl I4'. The pipe, 5J is.` also prix,4 vided withaow control valve'.. It4 will become apparent that heated water, .usually brine ows into'jthe chamber 52 through the.A pipe-5:1 tcnmix-q with, thev well fluids andi both-td:preheat `thenrI and to perform the initla'lxseparatinezstep;

A somewhat modified typ. of separator isshovvn in; Figure 6. .Innsuchyiormvof the in ventiontgthe shell.. t!) 4may be.-identicalz.with. the form 'ofA such Istructure previousi-yrdescribedf However, the. cylinder vI4 `will terminadeiin' an: upper. horizontal; head. 60;., Lthusz .eliminatin'eigtheseparating chamber. 31j. Apipe; Bl'itvvhichV maybe; braeed...in.v the shell. l;ll,.l.as at. 6.2,. willconnnunicate; at its,A lower end. with theinteiiorot the cylinderf |4 torzthe escapemf. free gas' accumulating there-L- in,x Thefoiloutletx maybe' identical; With-the oil:` outlet 642s previously described. f .The mixed wellejfiuid smeltwater mayv ybe fed.. inta-.the sep-v arator; through a .pipez- 642. extending-f"tangentially-` through theshelh lll', as.z clearly shown infFi'giure 7 whereby thewincoming `uids are given-a swirl#` the substantial-space. 65L provided above the-cyl# indemheadzla.. In. both. formslof the invention` describedf the downward: ypath ot vthefluids"is-'the annular space t5. In-Figure 81a substantiall5f"- modified form of apparatus is shown Where'infthe` Iluids .follow paths of.' dilierent 'shape'sgf andfthe liquids-.aref heated externallyof the apparatus.' iii--l stead of; intern-alli byVV heating unitsn such as the."v

Referring to'liigure '83; the' numeral lill* Vdesignatesfa cylindrical shelhhaving top and bottomf' headsfGSiandT respectively.v A plate l I' extends.v

asia chord across-theV interior of theA shellf68 terimina-ting as at 12abovethegbottom 10i This a1 rangement formsa Weir passage-l3f for' the down'- Ward 'iiovvoiY well fluids;includingv water tovvard.

the bo'ttoml of; the shell GB, and fromth'e. passage' heatingV devices 51'. This device. and its; appurtenant connections to the mainseparator. appa-. ratusan'd to .the sourcek ofiwellfluids; isidenticalwith that previously described and. similar. parts;-

have 'been indicated by.Y the' 'same reference nu;

morals".V

The .topof the shell, may be provided.,.with

a suitableV gas, cleaning'device. 8'0" having an, out'.-A

E hui-fols.Within*thefeylinder` Illflwill` be maintained at.l anfelevated temperature'bypthe: heatingI 20:. vAll.; well. fluids. contain 1 morey or less;` water, usually in; the form of brine. andv this .Waterlis allowedlto` :accumulate'v in.. the; main separating 1et181' which. mayv besimilartd the. gas outlet. 3917.'.

Separated'. oil, is withdrawn. Vfrom .the shell. 6 '8 70. through a'suitable pipe '82., A standpipe. 83; is.. connectedlto'.thelower4 portion. of. the shell. 68 and...

is .tapped atd f'oi'.. the,..ov.ertlowthrough thelpipe.

ssitrwaterffrnm.thesheuts.

unit up to. the level 4.0; further; accumulationof water. being; prevented br/the; overflowzoutlet: 46;. Thezheated; water thus-.maintainedbelowthef level. 4.0:: assists in;clomzpletirng; theseparation of thezwell' fluidiroonstituents. the,l free. oil floating. on. 1 the.

throughthe; pipe; 4'2.. Any gast still. remaining in the oil thus separated passes upwardly.' through. the; =pipe; 28;:thencev around' the'. baiiie'sf 3.6; 3l2a'nd 318.':fonftheseparation of. any liquid which. mayy remainI inftliefgas. .The gas is then taken o'' through. -the;.outlet'39. The. operation just r'e-l ferred/t'o 'isv id'enticalwith that described and claimeddnwthe copend-ing application. of Deke: and,.Lynef,. Seral'No.. 531,106, .now Patent No., 2;l-49;738i`ref:erred to' above.

--Ini the: apparatus oiA the'. copending .application.` referrediitoi, the Well fluidsare fedi` directly into. the:separatingv unit socthat they flow downward"- lythrough-the annular passage l5. Such apparatusaand its-xoperation have been found lhighly effective', for. the'. sepa-ration: of most Well fluids,

but where such. uids contain a high proportion" of gas; rapid" foaming takes place as the'f fluidy enters the unit. The present apparatus Varies in i twol'distinc't respects from'the apparatusreferred toftheresults .being to provide an'V even more eiii'cient'f separating action and t'o` prevent theI disadvantages ofr foaming with the consequent' passingY oflsome of/fthe liquid throughk the gras outlet:

Referring lto F'iguresl and 3, `the Well fluids flovvirom the sourcethrough pipes and 5'3'inta the; mixing; and preheating chamber 52.' This' chamberisi connected by the pipe' 5l to the interiorofzthe cylinder I4 atja point Where the litluid'thereinfis substantially all'. Water, usually brine,jasstated.. At such point. in the cylinder I4, thek liquid will be relatively highly heatedbem cause of' its.. proximityv to the heatingunits 2.0.

The heated water 'flows through. pipesi. into .the chamber 52' Where it performsF therstof. four.

separating' steps and such rststep is highly im,-

portant. fluids'will rating' the .fluid constituents. In they second place;`

In" the rst place, the .incoming well.

the well', fluids., are caused.. to` pass upwardlyV through the pipe-v5.0,.with a great excess ofv water-I therein... Itis vWellknown that. oil. emulsions contalninga small amount of Water: are generallyti'ght" and.. hardl to. break. .or separate, while..

emulsions containing a. large` amount of Water. aregenerally. looseY andy easy. to break .or separate. The greater the proportion'fof Water inY the iluil, the easier will be the.- separati-ng action and....the `f addition of.- .substantial.. excessA Water tow the.-incoming wel1.uidrendersitzrelatively.:easily f separableandthe easeotseparationis enhancedi.;

by. thegheatine; of-.thefwellrfl-uidsby the'hot water;

be preheated, thusassisting in:A sepa--v Thel addition; of,A heated;- lWaiter. .to fthe; incoming; .a

wellffluids lalsofserves to freand expand gasy contained in the fluid; 'Such gas, being very much lighter than the column of fluid withinthe main separating unit, causes the liftingof the fluid in the 'pipe 50 -to acceleratevthe flowof liquids and gas through this pipeintol the' upper end lof the5l main treating apparatus. While 'thedevice 5I is similar .to aninjector, and. has some injecting action, thetendency for 'the device to so function is somewhat reduced by thefact thatw-hilethe fluids passingupwardly inthe pipe 50 are heated,

they are at a lower temperature thantheI fluids within the main separating unit. There is ac-y cordingly, a thermo-syphonic unbalancethrough which'therewould bea normal tendency for the lluidsl 'to :flow downwardly through the' pipe '50 rather than. upwardly. This tendency is completely. overcome by the relatively slight .injector action provided byfthedevice 5I and byithegravitational unbalance of thefluid column formed by the pipe Vl5|] .due .to the upward surge of gas therethrough.`

The fluids thus ow upwardly throughthe pipe 50 and vthrough duct 30 to be discharged through the slot 32 (Figure 5) into the bottom of the chamber 3|.. Much of the gas will have been freed from the fluid, and such gas will flow .up-

wardly through the perforations in the plate 33.

and escape directly through the outlet 35 around the gas separator baffles. The substantial area of'.

theopen top of the chamber 3| tends to reduce the confinement ofthe fluids, thus `permitting a relativelyl free escape `of gas without foaming? The .tendency tofoam is yfurther. reduced by the perforatedplate 33, and primarily; the tendency to foam is Agreatly reduced by the heating of the l incoming fluids by an excess of water. ,The latter e feature increases the freedom with which the@ gas can esCape-from the Iwell uid. i..

jMoreoveigv. the chamber `3| acts ingl liquids pass ldownwardly through the annular passage i 5I The overflowing water being heavier y than the cil, will flow more rapidly than the oil,

and this fact. provides a separating action in the passage I5 which `amounts to the effecting of relative movement between the oil and the Awater to tend to break the emulsions. It will be apparent that the maintenance of the chamberlk full of water provides forA the second separating step, whereas the third step takes place inthe' downward movement of the fluids through the p annular passagel "As to the latter passage, it

will be apparent that it actsv as a heat insulator tov minimize heat losses 'from' the cylinder I4,

while at the same time, vliquids in the passage `I5 will absorb some of the heat from within the cylinder I4 to be further elevated in temperature asf the iluids approach the bottom oi the passage I5.`v

The iluids reaching the bottom of the passage I5 pass around the lower eXtremity'IG of the cylinder I4 and then flow upwardly into the interior e as a1 settling ,'40 chamber in which Water is trapped, and this factA also tendsrto permit a n lore free escape of gases.,. The incoming oil will float to the top of the cham-f ber.3I yand oyerowjthelfefrom together with yexcess water asit accumulates, and such overflow A. l

of this cylinder. As stated, most ofthe liquid inY i the bottom of the cylinder I4 will be water, and

such liquid w-illbe'relatively highly heated. As

water ilowsintothe bottom of the cylinder 14,'

some of the `water alreadyin this cylinder will Y be displaced' upwardly and will overflow through the outlet 46.:` The oil passing into the bottom 1 of the cylinderld will ilow lupwardly around and in proximity tothel heating lunits 2l)v to be relatively lhighly fy-heat'eav Will-1e'v` passing tlfougll"thel body of water'adjacent theheatingY units. w'lhe oil will then new upwardlythrough -and around the bailies 26,4 which mechanically assist' incompletfromitheb'ailies adjacent' the Wall of the'cylind'er around the heating units -20 at all times. Thus, within thecylnder.. I'4'`the' fourtharid lasifsepa rating step will take-place? and complete'- breaking of.the emulsions will'fhave been effected b'y the time the oil reaches and passes the water level 4U. Eachloffthe' forlnsfof. the apparatus `shown in Figures Band 8. .employs`the 'mixing and pre-[f heating device'il and its operation is substamv tially -identicalwith.V the` form' of kthe operation previously described! -In the structure shown in Figure 6 thechamber 3l (Figure 2) is eliminated, the head Gutbeing arranged at the upper end of the cylinder I4. In such case, there is no main-A tenance of a l.body of .water around the' inlet for the welllfiuids, and the Value'of such body of water `inassisting in the separationof the con-` stituents .of-.,.the well fluids is lost.V However, a Substantial gas-.separating area I' is provided :to

permit ,the gassto escape freelywith minimum foaming; suchfoaming-being very greatly minilnizell bygthe treatment of .the well fluids in the I4 '..maintain'aflthermosyphonic flow offliquldA device, 5 I.. The apparatus shown. in .Figure `6 'is .l

highlvefflcient for. most oils, but obviously is notas emcient=as;.thegform. shown in Figure 24 forl coils.. c ontaininga.; larger percentage orgas,

being lvery effective inoperation.

The,structure-.showndnFigure 8 may be alterthe elements associated .with the. chamber 3I natively employed, andinrsuch 4,form of the .in-

vention a, shor,ter separating .tank of greater di'ame'tery'may be employed, the partition 'II serving `towclefine the, pathtof the -downwardly movingI well fluids.. The. partition .lll hasy its lower .end terminating abovey the bottom lil-for..-

the passageinto themain chamber of the ftank oflthewellwfluidsdas theymove downwardly through l'thepass'age I3. .The upper 4end ofthe partition 'II.,v terminates below the head-U69 `for the escape oi gas into the top ofthe tanlaas.` willfbel'()bviousf4 Fluids'ain thernaln portionoi, the tanlgfarle withdrawn through the pipe 91,

heateduinfthe eiterilallieating unit A88 and ref. trnedjt the tank tllrpuglthe 'pipe su, theifluld, being constantly"circulated. to be vmaintained Aat the properv "temperature, y`The apparatus viin' f Figure-8 will be operable at atmospheric pressurayz,

tnestand pit-esa bplngepen at its upper end.

Theproper water level' will be maintained `by A the connection of th'outlet 84 at vthe'V proper vpoint in' the pipe83, excess water being drawn oif *through* the pipe 85.

-mgeacll formell-.hglnvenllon, heated liquid, 4 primarily water, is witldrawn'from the apparatus j. and mixed withthe' incoming well fluids for 'thev purpose of preheating 'them'andprovidingthem ,I' with an excess-'ici water; Theheat'and excess Water "rendersv the `'ernulsic'lns much ln'rev easily brea'kabl and -tehds klncbrefeasily to -free the gas for escape from the apparatus without 'causing tion with an emulsion, treater yofwany.practicable.1?,`

type has been found to render ,the oil seps .ratiilg action more highly eiicient than has beeneheretofore possible, and the separating action iscom.-

area than said duct and having an unobstructed interior for the unrestricted flow of'uids there-,

through, a separating casing, means for maintaining a body of water in said -casing to a predetermined level, means below said level for-heat'- ing such water, a duct connecting; the interior of said casing to said chamber'to `supply heated water thereto to be mixed with the-wellflui'ds means'for conducting the mixture' of Well fluids and hot water from said chamber-itc saidfseparating casing, and separate means for removing separatedv oiland water fromv said separating i Mffygo 2. Apparatus for separating oil well fluids comprising a mixing and preheating chamber, la duct for supplyingwell fluids to said chamber;

casing.

said chamber being of substantially greater crosssectional area than said duct and having an unobstructed interior for the unrestricted flow of fluids therethrough, a vertical separating apparatus, means for maintaining abody of water `in said separating apparatus to a predetermined level, means below said level for heating such water, a pipe connecting said separating apparatus to said chamber to supply heated water from the former to the latter, a duct connecting said chamber to the upper portion of said separating apparatus, said duct having a portion externally of said separating apparatus forming a fluid column, and separate means for removing separated oil and water from said separating apparatus.

3. Apparatus for separating oil well fluids comprising a vertical casing, means in said casing forming a passage and a separating chamber communicating at their lower ends, means for maintaining a substantial body of water in said separating chamber to a predetermined level, means below said level for heating said water, a mixing and preheating chamber externally of said casing connected to the interior of said separating chamber to receivev heated water therefrom, means for supplying well fluids to said mixing and preheating chamber, means for conveying the mixture of well fluids and heated Water to said passage for downward flow therethrough, and separate means for removing separated oil and water from saidv separating chamber.

4. Apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 3 wherein said mixing and preheating chamber is arranged a substantial distance below the upper end of said casing, the means for conveying the mixture of well fluids and the water to said passage comprising a duct having a substantially vertical section whereby the expansion of gas in said mixture will effect an upward flow of fluids through said duct to induce Llo . 1o* 1 a flow of', water-from said separating chamber intoy said mixing and preheating chamber.

5. Apparatusfor.separating oilwell fluids coml prising acasing, means lin saidcasing for separating-the constituents of oilwell fluids, means formaintaining a substantial -body .of water in' l said4 casing to a predetermined level, means below `v`said level forfheating/ such water, a mixing andpreheating chamber externally ofy said casing,v

a supply, pipe for well'fluids extending into said chamber and having an open top terminating axially insaid chamber and spaced from the-top andbottomthereof, ka take-olf pipe communieatingy between saidchamber and said casing to l, receive heatedwater from said casing, means for conveying the mixture ofwell-uids and heated'- water from the top of said chamber` to'sad ycasing, and separatemeans for removing separatedoil and water from said casing.V

6. Apparatus for separating oil wellfluids comprisingI aI casing, meansinsaidz casing for separating the constituents Aof yoil well iluids, means 'Y for maintaining a substantial body `of water inr top and vbottom-thereof', a take-olf pipe com-l municating between saidchamberand said casing `to receive heated water from'saidcasing, a 1 duct connecting .the top of said chamber to the upper,.end of` said-:casing to supply the mixture of well fiuids and heated water to the latter, said duct having a substantially vertical section whereby the expansion of gases freed from the well fluids by the heated water will effect upward movement of fluids through said duct and induce a now of water through said take-oir pipe into said chamber, and separate means for removing separated oil and water from said casing. K

7. The method of treating oil well fluids containing readily gasiable constituents, which comprises flowing well fluids into a chamber connected with a source of heated Water to mix the Well fluids with an excess of water and to convert the readily gasiable constituents, confining the flow of fluids in the chamber to a vertical column whereby the released gases flowing upwardly through such columnwill induce a flow of the heated water into said chamber, and conducting all of the iluids from the top of said column to a gas, oil and water separator.

8. Apparatus for separating oil well fluids comprising a mixing and preheating chamber having a substantially unobstructed interior for the substantially unrestricted flow of fluids therethrough, means for supplying well fluids to said chamber, a casing, a gas outlet connected to the top of said casing, means for maintaining a substantial body of water and oil in said casing, means below the surface of the water for heating the water and oil, means for supplying heated water from said casing to said chamber, conduit means including a vertical portion extending upwardly from said chamber for supplying well fluids and water to said casing, and separate means for removing separated oil and wate from said casing.

9. Apparatus for separating oil well fluids comprising a mixing and preheating chamber of substantial capacity having a relatively unobstructed interior for the substantially free ilow 11'K of uids therethrough, means for supplying well fluids-'tosaid chamber; a hotwater-'inlet for said chambersa vertical'ca-sing, means -insad casing' forming a passage, meansincluding-'a vertical pipe-portion communicating'ati its lower 4endd withf'said chamber for supplyingth'emixture'fef' wellluids and water fromsaid chamber-to tl:ie`--` upper end ofsaid passagafthe'lower eru:l"c`1f^"s`aid LV C` passagecommunicating with anothermorti'onof C said Vcasing for the -floW '-ofuids' downwardly@ U through said passage; thenceupwardlyfthroughsaid'fotherfportion ofsaid casing, meansfor mainl-H tain'ing a substantial 1body of water-andcol in* said Leasing; means -'be1ow the surfacewof'them water '-in said' casing` for-heatingv ther -Wateran'dWis oil,`'said fhot I water #inlet `communicatin'g` -witli"-"' `f said caw-ing below theV level1 off thel Water thereinf'" for" the l-fiowl -ofsuchwaterinto said 'i chamber-* andseparate `'.'means f or removing separated'` ilfl and Water from saidiother pcrtion'vof saidlasin'g. Q0

10'2 "Apparatus -forf` separating4 oiliwellilluids" comprising a bell-like mixing `#and prehating' chamber; means comprising'A Va :ductvf projectingm into lsaid chamber for supplying'well uidsfthe'ref to, said chamber having an unobstructedl interior of greater diameter lthanwsaid duct fothe^ free"I` owf'of fiiuids'ith'erethrough; a --ho`t v`=water-"inletj communicating with? saidffchamberya lcasingja gas" outlet connectedi-tofth rtop of said Jcasing', means '-for-l maintaining Ya Lsubstantialbody ofrgg water-audicil in said casing, *meansfbelowhe* surface of the waterv -i'oI heating the` yWaterl and oil, saidfhwwaterfinlet communicating'witlisaidTJ* casing adjacent said v heating" meansto'supply" relatively highly heatede-Waterfrm "said Liasil'lg1 '535 LL to said chamber, a duct connected betweensaidm.. chamberand th'top Apcrtiliirrpf saidcasingjsaid duct"haliring a verticaljportion 'of substantial lengths` communicating at' its lowerend with said chamber; and' separate means 'for' `removingj vseparated-eil andwater' from `saidcasingr.v

JOE A. 'LYNEl' REFERENCES CITED Th"follo.wing'references are of recordin .tl'1e -r-y leof-fthis'patentz'.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name DateY 273577811 StUIig1f Mar.v 135721883 463336Z Lowden.2 NvlilO', 1891?! `=1 963,534.71' Brown c Au'g.- 3051910?? 99.4;1'009? Brown-*t May 3091911* f 1,440,832 Johe's'- Jan. 2, '1923"1 l,521f,'309;i` Miller" Dc.=30,'1924 1,611'Q737 Averill Feb. 315; 1927"' 1,627,072 i?! VVIghti May 3, T1927" 1,"l"70'136f1t July 15,"1930"=' 2,043g379 Justus June 9, 1935 i 2,179,131 Milla'rcll Nov'.-7, 1939 2,181,687 viallir'l; Nov: 28,{-'1939"1 232111712? Self L" Aug- 13, 1940i?" 2,24515'515 Adams.; June 17, `194:1* 2325695402# Crawford =l Sept-23', '.l9fi1'f---- 2,288,333'113vx Vrsonlf;` 7 J une 30,5 l194:24 `12,305,464 Ashworth Dec. l5, 1942**5 2,3195962 Wakerl May-25,1943 2,34%950 Loveiady Feb-5 29,1`l944# 25121133.7555y `Elliott .Jui1e3, 1947*' 

